Great Britain team plans on track for London 2012 Olympics

Becky Addlington and Sir Chris Hoy won five of Team GB's 19 golds in 2008

The British Olympic team for the London 2012 Games will be the best-prepared ever said chief executive Andy Hunt.

Hunt revealed that the 550-strong team would receive £13m in funding and an "unprecedented" level of support.

He admitted however it would be "very, very tough" to replicate the fourth place acheived in the Beijing medal table in 2008.

"The difference between fourth, fifth and sixth place could be one or two medals," he said.

Great Britain secured 19 golds in Beijing, three more than fifth-placed Germany and five more than Australia in sixth.

UK Sport insist fourth place in the medals table is an achievable target despite the BOA's reservations. While there is consensus that the team is well placed for success, BOA chief executive Andy Hunt again stopped short of naming a specific medal target. He said fourth place was an aspiration rather than a target, warning that getting there would be 'very tough' given the increasing threat from Germany and Australia.

Hunt is hoping that the expanded team, which has grown from 313 athletes in China, will provide a greater variety of success.

"I really do believe we will deliver more medals from more sports," he said.

Sixteen of the team's golds in 2008 came in four sports - cycling, swimming, rowing and sailing.